Kitsune (Rocket Escort)
The Kitsune is an Escort belonging to the Empire of the Blazing Sun. In additon to bolstering the defenses of its parent squadron, the Kitsune is able to add a considerable punch to said squadron in close to long range thanks to its rocket battery. Armament Rocket Battery x1 *360 Degree Fire Arc *Tertiary Weapon *Attack Dice: 2/3/4/- On the Tabletop Overview: The Kitsune is an escort, and as such has a very defined role. It bolsters its parent squadrons defenses via linked AA and CC (Bringing a total of 3 AA and 2 CC to the table), and can work as a shield against ramming attempts. What sets it apart is the fact that its packing a rocket battery. For anything already armed with rockets, the Kitsune increases their attack power considerably, and anything lacking them suddenly finds it has a moderatly expanded offense. However, these benefits come at a price (90 points for a full squad), and against some opponents, such as the RC or RoF, their benefits are questionable at best. Movement: The Kitsune is largely unremarkable as far as movement is concerned. It's a bit slower than other EotBS smalls, clocking in at a not too impressive 9" of movement. Sharp Turn benefits the Kitsune less than it benefits the models it will be escorting, as it allows the squad to better position themselves so as not to impede the parent squadrons movement (and line of sight when firing torpedoes). In most instances though, the Kitsune will only end up being as maneuverable as the squad it's escorting. Durability: The Kitsune itself may be the most resilient small in the EotBS fleet, with close competition from the Zarigani. Not only is it packing Elusive AND Small Target, it's also benefiting from the EotBS CR buff. A pretty sweet deal, all things considered. Given that it will in most circumstances be attached to a large or massive model, it can also rely on CC or AA from said model, should someone target it with rockets, torpedoes, or boarding for some reason. Obviously this is a two way street, and a full squad of Kitsune can add 3 AA and 2 CC to their parent model, which is a nice little buff. Toss in the rare instances where it can screen (mostly against torpedoes and ramming attempts), and you have yourself a handy little shield. Offense: This is really what people should be taking the Kitsune for. There are two sets of AD that one should keep in mind: 4/6/8/-, and 3/5/6/-. The first set is for the Kitsune firing without linking to their Parent squadron. These aren't huge numbers for rockets, but are considerable enough that you can expect a bit of damage against smalls and mediums, especially if your targets have already taken some damage. This is mostly important for the Kiyohime or the Ika, neither of which have their own Rocket attacks, though it should also be remembered when deciding if you want to split your fire into two attacks or not. The second set of numbers are the amount of AD the Kitsune hand over to their Parent squadron when they link fire with them. These numbers can push most boats rocket attacks into truly dangerous territory. For example, the Sokotsu is suddenly looking at 4/13/15/10 for its rocket attacks, making its RB2 and RB3 firepower a good deal more deadly. There really isn't any large or massive in the force that wouldn't enjoy a compliment of Kitsune when these numbers are considered. In Summary: Pros: *Adds a considerable amount of AD to rocket attacks. *Generic escort buffs are appreciated. Cons: *At 30 points a piece, it can be a bit tough finding room for them, or even justifying their presence at all in some match-ups.